The Bourne franchise finally continues this month with a new installment in the saga now playing in theaters via "The Bourne Legacy". Directed by the series' mainstay screenwriter Tony Gilroy, this film based on Robert Ludlum's action-drama espionage series is the first spin-off title, with Matt Damon not reprising his role as main character and star Jason Bourne. Instead, the spotlight now focuses on a new character, Aaron Cross, who's played by the equally talented and tough-as-nails actor Jeremy Renner. Last seen as the sharpshooting superhero Hawkeye in Marvel's The Avengers, Renner aims to fly to solo and fight for his survival in this film, with Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton also co-starring as scientist Dr. Marta Shearing and Ret. USAF Colonel Eric Byer. With the decks stacked with proven hollywood stars, does this film compliment or offshoot the franchise?
SPOILERS of course, so read on at your own risk and find out in this short but sweet review.
Truth be told and despite mixed reviews, I enjoyed watching The Bourne Legacy just as much as I did the first three films that made up Matt Damon's trilogy. It keeps in line with the action and intensity that's been associated with the series, and doesn't lose face save for a few scenes that make the final act's sequence somewhat anti-climactic. That's not to say that there's love lost with the storyline either. You don't necessarily have to watch The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and/ or The Bourne Ultimatum to understand what's going on, but it will help immensely in light of the narrative just diving in and taking on Aaron Cross' tale without elaborating on the facts detail for detail.
Casting wise, The Bourne Legacy does its best to give more than a decent cast of Hollywood actors who take reigns on this spin-off entry. After successful hits with "The Hurt Locker" and "The Avengers" to add to his resume, Jeremy Renner flies solo as a new agent molded from a similar US government program that gave rise to Jason Bourne. With his serious demeanor and sharp skills lending credence to playing Outcome agent Aaron Cross, Renner styles himself pretty well on his latest action movie without missing a mark. Dialogue and story don't really matter as far as he's concerned, and while the origin story of this new protagonist is pretty much fleshed out, I expect greater things if the studio decided to greenlight a sequel. Overall a great performance, and I'd even dare to say that this would be a perfect "Hawkeye" movie if it ever was intended to be one.
Rachel Weisz serves the film's female lead role as Dr. Marta Shearing, a scientist who happens to get mixed up in the operation to silence the operation that bred soldiers like Aaron. It's been years since I've seen a film starring the wife of current 007 Daniel Craig, but she makes good with the running and shouting necessary for a damsel-in-distress character. Her scenes in Manila in particular show how dedicated an actress she is, and I tip my hat off to her work ethic.
Academy award nominee, writer, and actor Edward Norton lends his talents once more, playing a determined and headstrong antagonist role in toe form of Retired USAF Colonel Eric Byer. Norton's acting is pretty much what you'd expect from him, and it's nothing dynamic save for being another big name butting heads with the lead role, albeit in a non-confrontational manner. That honor is given to grunts and other agents tasked to take down Aaron and eliminates all traces of the program. That concept alone opens the door for potential sequels in the future, and you can be there will be for The Bourne Legacy.
As someone living in The Philippines, I take great pleasure in seeing our country featured prominently in the second half of the movie's story. However the shots and takes are edited from several different locations, and realistically its not easy to navigate the streets of Metro Manila if you don't know where you're headed at all. The chase sequence was alright, but nothing that really takes a good look at how our urban society lives and flows barring the magic of Hollywood production values. Still, Legacy does its work nicely of featuring a smooth adventurous flow and various places for Renner to visit and traverse at, including visiting good ol' Manila and capping things off at the majestic location of Palawan. If there's one thing I appreciate about this super spy flick, it's
Overall, The Bourne Legacy is a good effort by Tony Gilroy, and while the movie has your typical action thriller flick with lots of conspiracy and cat-and-mouse chases, I see great things coming for this spin-off series if they do decide to continue. Perhaps they can make Jeremy Renner team up with Matt Damon if the latter decides to return to his signature role as Jason Bourne. Anyone who's see all of the previous films definitely needs to get onboard and see this one. Otherwise, if you're a newbie and are just jumping in, you'll still be rewarded with a decent action movie that while not perfect doesn't miss a mark in presenting a good adrenaline rush of fun and excitement.
Rating - 4/5
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